


Midnight Magic

by Mice



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Boralus, M/M, Pre-Relationship, fairshawlidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:00:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28087350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mice/pseuds/Mice
Summary: Something magical happens in Boralus at midnight on the eve of Winter Veil. Flynn invites Mathias along for the show.
Relationships: Flynn Fairwind/Mathias Shaw
Comments: 18
Kudos: 44





	Midnight Magic

**Author's Note:**

> For the Fairshawlidays prompts by Boilingheart - Decorating
> 
> Now translated into Russian by KS_Scream at https://archiveofourown.org/works/28296210

It wasn't notable at first but, after a few days, Mathias realized that he'd been seeing more sailors in the rigging of the ships in Boralus Harbor lately. Large and small, with one mast or four, it didn't matter. There were sailors on the spars and the crow's nests, climbing the rope ladders and working on something everywhere he looked. In the slip next to the _Wind's Redemption,_ Captain Fairwind's crew was in the rigging of the _Middenwake_ as well.

Winter Veil was coming, and Boralus was considerably further north than Stormwind. The weather was colder, and the night came much sooner at this time of year. Mathias couldn't say he liked it much, but he was considering going back to Ironforge for the holiday itself. The dwarven city was warm, with the Great Forge at its heart. There was a massive tree in the commons, with all its associated holiday activity. He didn't get to celebrate holidays much. Far too often, he was in the field, tending to emergencies or to ongoing campaigns, but with the Ironforge portal right there in the harbor, it would be much easier this year. He'd have to take the tram back to Stormwind for the Boralus portal there to come back, but it would be worth it, he thought.

The afternoon before Winter Veil, Fairwind bustled aboard the _Redemption,_ grinning and looking generally pleased with life. He spoke to a few of the guards as he came aboard, wishing them a happy holiday, and made his way over to Mathias. "Hey, mate, do you have any plans for tonight?"

"I was thinking of going to Ironforge for the holiday, why?"

The bright smile on Fairwind's face faded slightly. "Surely you're going to stay at least until midnight, aren't you?" He sounded confused and vaguely disappointed.

"Midnight?" Mathias said. "Why? What's happening at midnight?"

Flynn blinked. "You really don't know, do you? I wondered why this old tub wasn't getting ready."

"Ready for what?" Perhaps the increased activity in the rigging that he'd seen actually signified something.

Flynn's smile brightened again. "Tell you what: meet me here about twenty minutes before midnight. I'll take you to the best place to see it all. It's magic, I promise. We'll have some hot mulled wine and the best view you can imagine!"

A bottle of wine and a view? "View of what?"

Flynn laughed. "Oh, Shaw, you are in for such a treat. Trust me. The surprise'll be worth it."

Mathias tensed. "I don't like surprises." Mostly he trusted Flynn, but the words _Fairwind_ and _surprise_ often tended to be minor disasters when he found them in the same sentence.

"I _promise!_ ," Flynn swore. "All of Boralus has been getting ready for this. I'm surprised you hadn't noticed!" He gave Flynn a skeptical look. "Just give me an hour of your time. That's all I ask."

He sighed. "All right. I'll meet you here twenty minutes before midnight."

"Dress warm!" Flynn said. He winked at Mathias and turned, scurrying off to do whatever it was he did with himself when he wasn't running azerite or doing covert ops for Cyrus Crestfall. It probably involved rum.

At the appointed hour, Flynn appeared on the gangplank of the _Redemption_ with a bag over his shoulder and a gryphon in tow.

"Where are we going?" Mathias asked, eyeing the gryphon.

"I told you, we're going to a place with a view! Come on!" His smile was bright as the stars in the sky and Mathias sighed and mounted up behind him. Once he was settled in, Flynn took them to the sky, where they circled the harbor in a slow, lazy arc. Eventually, they settled on a flat rooftop and dismounted. Flynn got the gryphon settled, then pulled a blanket from his bag and spread it out. "Come on," he said. "Have a seat."

Mathias eased himself onto the blanket as comfortably as he could and leaned back against the warmth of the gryphon's body. Flynn handed him a mug and poured them both some mulled wine as he sat. He leaned into Mathias, warm at his shoulder.

"Just a few more minutes," he said, looking much happier than Mathias thought he had any right to on a cold December midnight. He sipped from his mug.

"What's happening?" Mathias asked. He didn't object to Flynn's nearness. After the treasury vault job they'd become friendlier and he'd found he rather enjoyed Flynn's company.

"Just wait. It'll all be worth it in a minute." He gestured out over the harbor with the mug in his hand.

A moment later, Mathias could hear the sound of ships' bells sounding midnight, and the harbor flickered into life. Brilliant lights shone out from the spars and rigging of every ship, from the smallest sailboat to the largest Kul Tiran Man 'o War. The lights seemed to go on forever, glimmering like the night sky from every mast, ringing Boralus like a halo of stars. "It's… beautiful," Mathias murmured, breathless.

Flynn slung an arm over his shoulders. "Told you to trust me," he said. "You're not headed to Ironforge right away, are you?"

"No." Mathias shook his head. "This is worth staying for." He looked at Flynn, who was watching him with bright, happy eyes. So are you, he thought. "Thank you."

"Happy Winter Veil, mate."

"Happy Winter Veil." With a pleased sigh, Mathias rested his head on Flynn's shoulder and gazed out at the lights as they glistened, reflecting on the harbor.


End file.
